Three Bloemfontein cyclists took part in the Munga Cycle Race, which started in Bloemfontein on 1 December. This endurance race takes cyclists across the Karoo to end within five days, and after 1 124 km, in Wellington.
Local cyclists Dale de Kiewit, Louis Fourie and Johan Griessel undertook the gruelling race in aid of the residents of the Pers Gang at the Westerbloem Retirement Village. Donations are made to the women’s organisation Inner Wheel, which then uses it to the benefit of these residents.
Some who have finished the Munga multiple times reckon 2021’s race was the most difficult yet.
Fourie describes the Munga as a huge test for bike and body and a massive test for the mind and soul.
“We will remember 2021’s Munga for a long time,” he says.
“The front riders were faced with lots of wind, but the mid-packers and back of the field faced rain, cold and even hail.”
Fourie says people keep asking him why he does extreme things like attempting the Munga.
“To me it is like a triangle formed by body, mind and soul.
“In endurance sport we refer to the hurt locker or pain cave – the place or condition in which you are suffering more than normal pain or fatigue. Naturally people want to avoid these places, because they are afraid of them.
“In ultra-endurance events you will inevitably end up in one of those deepest and darkest corners of your pain cave. That is where the body shouts and screams at your mind to stop, because it is tired. You then push on further, hoping the pain and fatigue are temporary, just like a cramp in the calf or hamstring.
“It is an ongoing battle between body and mind. I just love the fight and victory of mind over body.”
Fourie says this race demanded more than just the normal amount of endurance.
“About 40 km from Sutherland we got stuck in a cloudburst. As the Karoo only has small bushes, there was nowhere to take shelter.
“We simply had to endure hail, thunder, rain and wind. We were soaking wet and freezing.
“I was praying to God the whole time during that storm, just to protect us from lightning since we were so exposed.
“We couldn’t ride. We started walking, pushing our bikes to keep warm – looking on while the Karoo roads became rivers. This with biking shoes, which are really not designed for walking.
“Another cyclist, Boetie Hugo, caught up with us, directing us to a farmhouse just off the road. No one was home, but out of need we took shelter in the shed.
“We took off our wet kit and wrapped ourselves in space blankets. We knew we had to make a fire to warm up, but had no matches or lighters.
“Boetie then came up with a genius plan, to start a fire using some jumper cables, a motorcycle battery and old rags. We then took anything we could find to build a fire in an old bucket.
“When the farmer and his wife came home, they were shocked to find cyclists with only cycling shorts and space blankets around them in their shed. But they were wonderful and gave us coffee and rusks. They told us it was the first time in nine years that they had more than 20 mm of rain.”
After the rain stopped – for a while – the cyclists got back on their bikes.
Due to injury De Kiewit could not complete the race, but along with Griessel, Fourie finished the Munga with three hours to spare.
“I think it is impossible to finish the Munga without your soul being touched,” says Fourie.
“The Munga has tought me how to face challenges at work and in my personal life as well.”
